Circular-knitting machine.



.PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

w. T. BARRATT. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ghwonfbz Mahmud:

PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

No. 790,672. I PATBNTED MAY 23, 1905.

W. T. BARRATT.

GIROULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

III

PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

W. T. BARRATT.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1903. I

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

PIEL']:

WITNESSES INVBNTU PATENT-ED MA Y'23 1905.

W. T. BARRATT. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED M4Y 14, 1903.

v 5 SHEETS-SHEET a.

WIT-NEESES:

IN'XZEIJ'I'UFL U ITED STATES,

Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAMT. BARRATT, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES COOPER, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,672, dated May 23, 1905.

2 Application filed May 14, 1903. Serial No. 157,144.

formed than has been heretofore possible, so

that a better finish can be formed for the edge of the goods when severed, and which also enables the goods to be more readily, more accurately, and more quickly severed at the welt.

I accomplish the foregoing by causing the cylinder-needles to'be slightly depressed from their raised positions just in advance of the outward movement of the dial-needles to carry the loops on the cylinder-needles down and out of the way of the dial-needles and then cause the cylinder-needles to complete their downward movement after the dial-needles have passed outward. This enables 'me to form as long a welt as desired and prevents the long welt being in the way of the outward movement of the dial-needles.

' Another object of my present invention is to cause the slack course to begin to be formed at the same time that the stitch ischanged from the welt to the regular stitch for relieving the welt as it is being cast off to permitthe welt-stitch to be freely cast off. 1n order to do this, the slack course begins at a different place and time on the circle of the cylinder as compared with the usual or regular slack course-and without interfering therewith.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a plan view of the machine, (with some of the upper supporting members removed,) showing the parts in position of the first course of producing a weltstitch. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, showing the parts in the position assumed by them when the machine starts to make the loose course of the welt-stitch. Fig. 4: is a sectional view of one side of the dial, the dial and cylinder needles, the cylinder, and the welt pushed down. Fig. 5 is a view showing the inner side of the cylinder cam-ring with the slack and loose course levers. Fig. 6 isa sectional view on the line 6 6of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the mechanisms controlling the dial-needles. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 9 is a plan diagrammatic view of the dial-cams, the course or path of the dial-needles being indicated by arrows. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detached View of the inner end of the take-up 55. Fig. 11 is ahorizontal sectional view on the line 11 11 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates the top bed-plate, the lower bed-plate, and 49 the side of the machine, the lower end of which rests upon and is supported by the lower bed-plate 50. Supported by the upper bedplate 1 is the cylinder cam-ring 2, and surrounded by the cam-ring 2 is the cam dialplate 25. This dial cam-plate 25 is caused to rotate in a manner now understood by those skilled in the art. while the dial-needles do not travel with it, but are caused to move in and out to form stitches, in a manner to be described hereinafter.

As shown in Fig. 4, the edge of the dialplate 26 is cut away, as shown at G, and the upper edge of theneedle-cylinder 28 is cut away, as shown at H, which is necessary in order to enable the machine to produce a long welt -stitch, which will be specifically explained farther on. The dial-needles 27 are supported, as usual, in grooves in the dialdial cam-plate 25 and the cylinder cam-ring" 2 is so well understood by those skilled in the art that a description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

In a machine of the character herein shown the operation of the parts is timed and controlled by a pattern-wheel 18, which is pr0-"' vided on its periphery with a plurality of teeth 18, and this pattern-wheel 18 is caused to revolve intermittently one tooth for each revolution of the dial cam-plate and the cylinder cam-ring in the following manner: By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be found that the cylinder cam-ring 2 is provided with a circular cam 22 and that a lever 21 is intermediately pivoted at the point 21 to the under side of the top bed-plate 1. The inner end of this lever 21 is provided with a roller 21 which engages the aforesaid circular cam 22, so that the lever 21 is given one vibration for each revolution of the cylinder cam-ring. The opposite and outer end of said lever 21 engages the upper end of a vertically-arranged link 20, and pivoted to this link 20 is a pawl 19, adapted to engage the teeth of the patternwheel 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Formed in the face of the said pattern-wheel are concentric series of openings, the outer series of which is designated 56, the second series 57, the third series 58, and the fourth or. inner series 59. Pins or screws are placed in these openings, and by engaging the members to be presently described control the forming of the desired form of stitch.

Projecting upward from the cylinder camring are the posts 30, and connecting the upper ends of these posts is the dial-arch 16, in which the upper end of the dial-shaft 37 is supported.

A shipping-disk 16 is mounted on a shaft in a bearing in the bed 1 and resting on an arm 17, and this arm 17 is pivotally supported at the point 17. By reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 it will be observed that this shipping-disk is located adjacent the outer periphery of the cam cylinder-ring 2, and this shipping-disk 16 is adapted to be raised and lowered through the medium of an arm 17, the lower end of which is located in the path of travel of the screws or pins that are located in the aforementioned openings of the pattern-wheel 18. The elevation of the shipping-disk 16 is therefore controlled by the pins or screws, according to their location in the face of the pattern-wheel. The shippingdisk by its vertical location controls the stitchforming mechanism, and its vertical position controls the operation of the needles, while the arm 35, which is adapted to be actuated by engagement with an elongated pin or screw, assists in controlling the formation of a slack or loose stitch by the cylinder-needles.

A machine constructed as here shown contains'two mechanisms for controlling by the aid of the shipping-disk 16 the operation of the dial-needles in a manner which I will now explain.

Carried by the dial cam-plate 25 are the stationary stitch-cams X and Z. The middle portions y of the cams X are made movable to adjust the cast-off. The cams X are also made widest at the points C to cause the needles to move well back of the dial 26 for the purpose of preventing them from coming in contact with the fabric-push-down presser-bhules 24. The dial-needle-controlling cams 15' and 15 are pivoted to the dial cam-plate 25, as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 9, at the points 1: and control the needles by engaging them in the usual manner. I will lirst explain the first mechanism, which is connected with the cam 15 and by means of which it is moved into its proper position at the proper time. This cam 15 and also the cam 15 are adapted to be moved and held in three positions- \'i'/.., an outer position for the purpose of throwing the dial-needles into operation, an inner position to throw the dial-needles out of operation, and an intermediate position to hold the dial-needles part the way out and to retain two sets of stitches under their hooks, for which two feed-guides a a are provided. Referring to the cam 15 and especially to Figs. 7 and 8, it will be noted that the cam is located under the dial cam-plate 25 (see also Fig. t) and is provided with a stud u, projecting through a curved slot T. A link 11 has its inner end pivotally connected with the said stud u and its outer end pivotally connected with the end of an arm or block 10 at the point O. This block 10 is adjustably connected with the upper end of a post P through the medium of a screw 72. This post P is pivoted in the cylinder cam-ring 2, and by means of a suitable spring 73 the post and its arm or block are normally forced inward, whereby the cam 15 is normally held at its innermost position when permitted to be forced by the spring into said position. Formed in the edge of the cylinder cam-ring 2 is a recess 10, and located within this recess and secured to the post P is a cam-lever 9. This cam-lever 9 is provided with an outer notch 62 and an inner notch 63. Pivotally supported upon a pin R, carried by a bracket S, are the levers 7 and 8. The lever 7 has an upper portion 7', and a spring has its opposite ends engaging opposite sides of the said levers 7 and 8 and serves to hold their opposite ends in normal engagement with the notched edge of the cam-lever 9. When the end of the lever 7 is in the outer notch of the cam-lever 9, the cam 15 is held in its outward position, as shown in Fig. 7. When, however, the lever 7 has been operated by the engagement therewith of the shippingdisk 16 into the position shown in Fig. 2, its opposite end is disengaged from the notch 62, thus releasing the post P and permitting the spring 73, through the connections before described, to move the cam 15 inward. The inward movement, however, is arrested by the engagement of the inner end of the lever 8 with the inner notch 63, and the cam is permitted to assume and is held in the intermediate position. VVhen the outer end of the lever 8 is operated by the shipping-disk 16,

its inner end is caused to disengage the notch throws the cam into itsinnermost position. By reference to Fig. 8 it will be observed that the levers 7, 8, and 9 are located in dilferent vertical planes, and therefore their operation by the shipping-disk 16 is con-- trolled by the vertical position of the shippingdisk, and the vertical position of the shipping-disk is controlled, as before explained, through the medium of the pins in the patternwheel 18 and the member 47,,adapted to engage said pins. The sequence of these operations and their functions in the forming of the stitch will be referred to in the description of the operation of the machine. The second mechanism consists of the cam 15, the lever 11, the levers 12 and 13, and the camlever 14. The construction of these parts and their operation in controlling the positions of the cam 15 being the same as just described in relation to the first mechanism, further description'is unnecessary. For the purpose of facilitating the description of the operation of the machine to be hereinafter given the notches in the, lever 14 are desig- I nated 64 and 65 (see Fig. 2) and the levers of this mechanism have been given different reference-numerals from those given the levers in the first mechanism.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 4, the pushdown presser-blade 24 for the welt-stitch is connected to the inner end of a shaft 24, the said shaft being journaled in a sleeve 23, which is carriedby an adjustable bracket 23, supported by the cylinder cam-ring 2. This blade 24 extends between the cylinder and the dial-plate and rides on the stitches 67 being knit. by the cylinder-needles 29 and serves to push the stitches down and out of the path of the needles, allowing a weltof any desired length to be made. As shown in Fig. 4, the dial-needles are drawn inward outof operation, and thus retain their stitches and the weight of the take-up 55, which causes the take-up to become inoperative, and thus removes the mechanical draft from acting upon the fabric 67 being knitted on the cylinderneedles 29, which leaves the loops loose at this point and in the path of the upward movement of the cylinder-needles 29, and hence the pusher-down blade 24 is provided to act as a take-up and to push back the stitches."

For the purpose of enabling the cylinderneedles to form a slack or loose welt-stitch, as desired, means is provided for increasing or decreasing the downward movement of the cylinder nee'dles by providing an automatic adjustable cylinder needle-cam carried by the cylinder cam-ring. The means for accomplishing this is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. depressible spring-actuated post 3 is provided, and the cylinder needle push-down cam 40 is suitably connected with this post. 45 serves to normally hold thepost upward in engagement with an adjusting-screw 45.

A spring Connected to theupperend of the post 3'is a projection 3, provided with the steps 68 and 69." One end of a lever 6 is provided withan adjustable screw 6, which is adapted V to be moved over the said steps 68 and 69 when the lever is moved in one direction for depressing the post, and hence the needlecam 40, and when moved in the opposite direction adapted to pass off of the steps to permit the post 3and its cam 40 to move upward. An arm 5 is connected with the lever 6 and adapted to be engaged by the shipping-disk 16 when it is moved into the horizontal plane of the said lever 5, and the end of this lever 5 has a recess or cut-away portion L at its upper side to permit the lever to pass free of the shipping-disk 16 at one position of thedisk. The bell-crank lever 4 is adapted to be engaged by an arm 31 when the arm is moved into the position shown in Fig. 1, and said-lever 4 is connected with the lever 6 by means of a link 38. r The position of the arm 31, which is pivotally supported by a bracket 34, is controlled by a lever 32, connected with a shaft 32', and the lever is connected by a link 33 to the lever 31. The opposite end of the shaft 32 carries an arm 35, which is engaged by a projecting pin or screw, located in the series of openings 57 of the pattern-wheel 18, at the proper moment, and moves the arm 35 upward, causing the lever 31 to engage the bellvcrank lever 4 and move it and through its connection with the lever 6 move the latter inward and over the first step 68 of the arm 3, carried by the post 3, thus depressing the cam 40, making aloose stitch at the junction of the welt 67 withtheplain stitch or courses and enables the welt-stitch to be freely cast off. The foregoing result is accomplished when the pattern 57 is so set. A

A long welt-stitch will curl or pucker up and is hard to cut, as well as giving a bad appearance to the fabric. For the purpose of straightening the fabric and to prevent the puokering I provide the take-up 55 with the plates 53 and 54 The plate 54 has its inner end bent upward, as shown, and overlapping somewhat the plate 53. This causes the'weltstitch, which is being drawn tightly downward through the rolls 51 and 52, to be smoothed out and the wrinkles removed. Suitable drawing-rolls55 are located below the rolls 51 and 52 and draw the fabric there through. i I

The operation of my invention is as follows: When the arm 47 is in engagement with the pins or screws located in the outer or first series of openings 56 of the pattern-wheel 18,

the shipping-disk 16 is elevated to be in the path traveled by the upper part 7 of the le-' ,ver 7, thereby operating the said lever and causing it to disengage the notch 62 of the Zcam-lever 9 and permitting it to drop back,

as before explained, and so long as the disk is held in this elevated position the machine is shipping-disk 16 is correspondingly lowered of operation.

and is in the position to engage the lever 9 of the first mechanism and the lever 14 of the second mechanism and to also engage the lever 5. The operation of the levers 9 and 14 by engagement with the shipping-disk draws the cams 15 and 15 to their outermost positions, and the levers and cams are held in these positions by the engagement of the levers 7 and 12' with the first notches 62 and 64 of the levers 9 and 14, respectively. When the parts are in these positions, the dialneedles are caused to travel in the path indicated by arrows in Fig. 9 and are thereby thrown into operation. When the'arm 47 is in engagement with the pins or screws located in the third series of openings 58, the shipping-disk 16 is lowered and supported in the path traveled by the levers 8 and 13 and will operate these levers as they pass the shippingwheel, thus causing them to disengage the notches 63 and 65, respectively, of the levers 9 and 14, which permits the latter levers to throw the cams 15 and 15 to their innermost positions, which throws the dial-needles out When the arm 47 engages the pin or screws of the inner series of openings 59, the shipping-disk 16 is lowered to a position and is in the path traveled by the lower portions of the lever 7 and disengages them from the first notches 62 and 64 of the levers 9 and 14, respectively, permitting them to drop back and be caught by the levers 8 and 13 engaging the second notches 63 and 65 of the said levers 9 and 14, which moves and holds the earns 15 and 15 at their intermediate positions. The dial-needles are held projected sntficiently long to retain two rows of stitches under their hooks 60 for the purpose of starting the welt-stitch. When one of the pins or screws is omitted from the inner series of openings 59, the arm 47 is permitted to drop and the shipping-disk-supporting member 17 will engage and be supported by a stop 61, which holds the disk in position to come in contact with the lever 4, which throws the lever 6 farther than it is thrown by the lever 31 and on the high step 69 of the post 3, thus depressing the cylinder draw-down cam 40, thus causing the cylinder-needles to move farther down and to make a longer stitch, and this causes the slack course to be knitted. Having described the function and operation of the pattern-wheel in respect to the several parts, I will now explain the operation in the forming of the welt-stitch. In the first place, it should be remembered that the machine has two mechanisms and that each of these mechanisms has a set of levers and that certain levers of each set of the two feeds are operated in each revolution of the cylinder cam-ring and the dial cam-plate. To form the weltstitch, the pattern wheel 18 is turned or racked in the position to cause the arm 47 of the disk-controlling device 17 to rest on the pins or screws in the inner series of openings 59. The cam-levers 9 and 14 are in the positions to have their outer or lirst notches 62 and 64 engaged by their respective levers 7 and 12, so that the cams 15 and 15 are in their outermost or normal knitting positions and will unless released and permitted to drop inward throw the dial'needles into operation. The arm 47, however, being in engagement, as before stated, with the pins or screws of the inner series of openings 59, the shippingdisk 16 is in a low position and in the path traveled by the levers 7 and 12. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the shipping-disk has just operated the lever 7, thus releasing the cam-lever 9 and permitting it to drop back one notch, which allows the dial-needles controlled by the cam 15 to remain sufiiciently projected to retain two sets or rows of stitches on their hooks for one revolution. The disk 16 as the cylinder cam-ring and the dial cam-plates revolve next engages the said lever 12, and this lever releases its cam-lever 14 and permits it to drop back one notch, and the disk 16 next engages the lever 13, which permits the cam 15 to drop all the way back, thus throwing the dial-needles out of operation, as shown in Fig. 3, and a weltstitch is then produced by the machine. The cam 15 remains in its intermediate position for one revolution, thus holding the dial-needles in position to retain the said two rows of loops. The next revolution causes the arm 47 to engage a pin or screw in the series of openings 58, and the disk 16 is elevated in the plane traveled by the lever 8 and engages the lever and releases it from the second or inner notch 63 of the cam-lever 9, which permits the cam 15 to drop to its innermost position, thus throwing the dial needles controlled thereby out of operation and completes the movement of changing from a plain to a welt stitch. The machine will now knit as many courses of plain stitch as may he desired, it being controlled by the number of concentric pins placed in the series 58 for supporting the shipping-disk in the position just described. When the dial-needles are thrown out of operation and the welt-stitch is being knitted by the cylinder-needles, the dial-needles retain their stitches, and thus support the weight of the take-up 55, as shown in Fig. 3. The desired length of welt having been knitted, the parts are thrown into a position to knit a plain or regular stitch in the following manner: A screw or pin 57 is placed in the series of openings 57 to engage the arm 47 ol the disk-controlling device 17 at the point in the revolution of the pattern-wheel it is desired to change to the regular or plain stitch. This pin or screw 57 is larger in diameter than the regular screws or pins, so that the The lever; is cut shipping-disk without being operated thereby. This slight additional upward movement.

.' ofthe shipping-disk 16 does not carry it out and hence these levers are engaged by th'ev disk, and the cams and 15 are moved to. their outermostpoint and there held in the manner before described by the levers 7 and of the path traveled by the levers 9 and 14,

12, which places the said cams in position to operate the dial-needles. As indicated in Fig. 3, when the disk 16 is in engagement with the lever 9 the arm or lever 31 is thrown into position to engage the lever 4 and to therebymove the lever 6onto the first step 68 of the post 3 to depress the cylinder push-down cam 40 to produce a loose stitch at the junction of the welt andplain courses and continues so for one revolution of the machine. This relieves the strain on the dial-needles 27 which is caused by the casting 03 of the larger welt. The lever 31 was raised in the path traveled by the lever 4 through the medium of a projecting pin located in the series of openings 57 engaging the arm 35, and thereby operating the lever 31 in the manner which-has previously been explained. The action of the device for making this independent slack course at the finish of the welt is the lever 35 comes in contact with the said projecting pin in the pattern-wheel and rocks the shaft 32, which causes the lever 31 to be thrown in the path of the slack-course lever 4, which'makes a modified slack course at the time of casting ofi the welt-stitch and effects a free cast-off thereof. This attachment in addition to the regular slackcoursc putsin a slack course at a diiferent place and time on the circle of the cylinder from the time and place of putting in the regular slack course and does not interfere with the making of the regular slack course. Lever 14 of the second mechanism is next engaged by the disk 16, which draws the cam 15 to its outermost position to throw the dial-needles controlled thereby and to throw them in operation with the cylinder-needles for the purpose of knitting a plain or regular I fabric.

In the use of the push-down blade 24 it becomes necessary to hold the dial-needles inward as they pass the said blade to prevent the needles from engaging the blade. This is accomplished by making the cams X wider at the point 0. The cams g are made adjustable for the purpose of regulating the stitch length.

The cylinder-needles 29 in making their stitch carry the stitch to a point in theline of travel of the dial-needles, and I provide means for lowering the cylinder-needles, and

thereby lowering the stitch, to prevent the dial-needles pushing through the fabric and breaking the needles by loading up the machine. As here shown, I so shape the cylinder ring-cam41 that the cylinder-needles after carrying the stitch up are moved down.

vward slightly to carry the stitch below the up cylinder ring-cam 42. The push-up cam 42 carries the cylinder-needles to' their highest point in making a long welt, and the'stitch follows the movement of the needles and is carried with it; but the short downwardlyextending camE lowers the needle slightly and carries the stitch below the line of travel of the dial-needles, thus leaving a clear path for the operation thereof Without interfering with the stitches of the cylinder-needles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Aknitting-machine including a needlecylinder, needles carried thereby, dial-needles movable transverse said cylinder needles, means for actuating the dialneedles,.means for moving the cylinder-needles upward and then slightly downward in advance of the outward movement of the dial-needles to carry the cylinder-needle loops below the path of the dial-needles, and means for completing the downward movement of the cylindenneedles after the outward movement of the dialneedles. whereby a long welt can be formed.

2. A knitting-machine including a needlecylinder, needles carried thereby, dial-needles movable transverse the cylinder needles, means for operating the dial-needles, a member adapted to raise the cylinder-needles to the limit of their upward movement, a member adapted to slightly depress the raised cylinder-needles in advance of the outward movement of the dial-needles to carry the cylinderneedle loops below the path of travel of the dial-needles, and a member adapted to complete the depression of the cylinder-needles after the outward movement of the dial-needles, whereby a long welt can be formed.

3. A knitting-machine including a needlecylinder, needles carried thereby, dial-needles movable transverse the cylinder needles, means for operating the dial-needles, a long push-up cam and a short push-down cam for the cylinder-needles located in advance of the outward movement of the dial-needles and a long push-down-cam for the cylinder-needles located 'at a point behind or after the, outward movement of the dial-needles for the purpose described.

4. A knitting-machine including cylinder and dial needles, a mechanism causing the needles to form aregular stitch, a patternwheel, mechanism controlled by the pattern- IIO wheel causing the cylinder-needles to form a slack course, mechanism controlled by the pattern-wheel causing the needles to form a welt-stitch, and members in addition to the foregoing slack-stitch mechanism controlled by the pattern-wheel and adapted to cause a slack stitch to be formed at the time of casting off the welt-stitch to effect a free cast-off of the latter.

5. A knitting-machine including cylinder and dial needles, a mechanism causing the needles to form a regular stitch, a pattern- Wheel, a mechanism controlled by the patternwheel causing the needles to form a slack course, mechanism controlled by the patternwheel to cause the needles to form a weltstitch, and an additional mechanism controlling the slack stitch including a member controlled by the pattern-wheel and moved thereby in engagement with the slack-stitch mechanism at the time of casting off the welt-stitch to effect a free cast-off of the latter.

6. A knitting-machine including'a needlecylinder, needles carried thereby, dial-noodles movable transverse the cylinder needles, means for operating the dial-needles, a long push-up and short push-down cam for the cylinder-needles located in advance of the outward movement of the dial-needles to carry the cylinder-needle loops below the path of travel of the dial-needles, and a long push-down cam for the cylinder-needles located at a point behind the outward movement of the dial-needles, whereby a long welt can be formed, in combination with a tension push-down member located between the dialneedles and the cylinder-needles to push the long welt down and out of the way.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM T. BA RRATT.

\Vitnesses:

EARL H. SMITH, CHAnLns S. Knnon. 

